Welcome to the 24th installment of our Weekly Hot Prospects Report ranking the top minor-league performances from the week of September 1-7. We’re back with this week’s top performers making waves across the minors—and this week’s trio at the top is stacked with thunderous bats and rising stars knocking on the MLB door.
Fantasy baseball owners, take note. CLICK HERE to check out the full list, with ETAs and updated statistics (subscription required).
A quick look at the Top Three
1. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (AAA, age 22)
Cleveland’s top prospect continues to light it up in Triple-A. Bazzana homered four times in four games—including a walk-off two-run shot on Sept. 4—and raised his OPS to a team-best .916 at Columbus. His latest bomb capped a dominant 3-for-4 performance complete with two walks, underlining his advanced power and timing.
Week Stats: 1.481 OPS, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 9-for-23, 4 BB, 5 SO
2. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, SP, Yankees (AA, age 21)
Rodriguez-Cruz (pictured above) is on an absolute tear since his promotion to Double-A, posting a 2.56 ERA with a 67-17 K-BB in ten starts. In back-to-back outings against a powerful Binghamton lineup, the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect delivered 13 shutout innings with 15 strikeouts—outlasting his opponent Jonah Tong in both quality and length. His electric delivery, including a fastball touching the upper-90s, is generating buzz as one of New York’s most promising arms.
Week Stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.45 WHIP, 16–2 K–BB, 11 IP, 3 H
3. Robby Snelling, SP, Marlins (AAA, age 21)
Snelling continues to make a strong case for promotion with yet another dominant start. He threw seven quality innings, despite Toronto winning, posting a 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, zero walks, and an impressive 13 strikeouts—his most ever in a single outing. He’s now delivered seven consecutive quality starts dating back to July 26. Since his promotion to Triple-A on July 10, he boasts a 1.37 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with a 67-13 K-BB over 52.2 innings.
Week Stats: 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 13–0 K–BB, 7 IP, 7 H
Other Noteworthy Performers
- Riley Gowens (White Sox, High-A): Pitched 11 shutout innings across two starts with a 0.82 ERA and 15–2 K–BB.
- Alfredo Duno (Reds, Single-A): The 18-year-old catcher mashed 1.710 OPS, including 3 HRs and 5 RBIs in limited at-bats.
- Kemp Alderman (Marlins, AAA): Slugged a 1.268 OPS with 4 HR and 8 RBIs in 8-for-24 effort.
The Top 15 in the Weekly Hot Prospects Report
From dominant arms to scorching-hot bats, here are the Top 15 prospects below who turned heads and boosted their stock. CLICK HERE to check out the full list, with ETAs and updated statistics (subscription required).
| Rank | Player | Pos | Team | B/T | Level | Age |
| 1 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | L/R | AAA | 22 |
| 2 | Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz | SP | NYY | L/R | AA | 21 |
| 3 | Robby Snelling | SP | MIA | R/L | AAA | 21 |
| 4 | Riley Gowens | SP | CHW | R/R | High-A | 25 |
| 5 | Alfredo Duno | C | CIN | R/R | Single-A | 18 |
| 6 | Trevor McDonald | SP | SF | R/R | AAA | 24 |
| 7 | Kemp Alderman | OF | MIA | R/R | AAA | 22 |
| 8 | Will Schomberg | SP | MIA | R/R | AA | 24 |
| 9 | Josue De Paula | OF | LAD | L/L | High-A | 20 |
| 10 | Joey Oakie | SP | CLE | R/R | Single-A | 19 |
| 11 | Ethan Frey | OF | HOU | R/R | Single-A | 21 |
| 12 | James Hicks | SP | HOU | R/R | AA | 24 |
| 13 | Carlos Lagrange | SPRP | NYY | R/R | AA | 22 |
| 14 | Zach Cole | OF | HOU | L/R | AAA | 24 |
| 15 | Max Clark | OF | DET | L/L | AA | 20 |